First Christmas
by ChibiMoon921
Summary: Jarmille. Post series. Jarrod and Camille share their first Christmas together.


Author's Note: Hi, everyone! Now that Christmas break has started, I am back to writing Jarmille fanfics! I've had this one in my mind for ages, sorry that it is cutting it so close to Christmas. Oh, well, better late than never right? Enjoy!

**First Christmas**

Along the brightly decorated avenue, the shops had Christmas trees in every window, twinkling with silver tinsel and colored ornaments. As the wind picked up, Jarrod shifted the several shopping bags he precariously clutched in one hand to pull his black coat tighter around his body. RJ was throwing a Christmas party at Jungle Karma Pizza, and Casey had not only invited Jarrod and Camille, but enlisted their help in decorating.

He had sent Jarrod out to buy some more lights and garland to hang around the parlor, while Camille stayed behind to help Lily hang ornaments. But Jarrod didn't mind. This was the first time he could remember when he was actually looking forward to the Christmas season. Before, no one was around to spend any time with him during the holidays, and it had often made him feel sad and bitter to see happy families enjoying Christmas together when he knew he could never have that same secure feeling.

But now things were different. He was a totally changed person. He had people wh cared about him and wanted to share in his life. He had friends. Casey, Lily, Theo, RJ, Dominic...and Camille. He had Camille.

Jarrod smiled, recalling the conversation he'd had with her a few weeks before when she'd heard everyone at the Pai Zhua Academy chattering excitedly about Christmas. Camille had asked Jarrod what they were talking about, and her eyes had shone with excitement when Jarrod had explained it to her.

Jarrod chuckled to himself, his warm breath coming out into the frigid evening air in a cloud of steam. This was going to be Camille's first Christmas, and, in a way, _his_ first Christmas, too.

His grin widened as he lifted one of the shopping bags, thinking about the certain special item it held. This was _their_ first Christmas. And he knew just how to make it extra special.

* * *

"Is that straight?"

Camille tilted her head to the side, scrutinizing Lily's handiwork of the giant Christmas tree, and the star she was trying to place on the top. "Hm...a little more to the right," Camille motioned with her fingers to convey her idea.

Lily complied, smoothing a few stray needles as she perfected the star. "Ah! Perfect!" Lily hopped down from the footstool she had been standing on and smiled.

"Looks great," Camille said. "We did good. What's next?"

Lily tucked a stray ringlet behind her ear. "I think we should probably finish hanging the garland and stuff, and then the boys can help us string the lights when Jarrod gets back."

Camille followed Lily to the table which held several plastic shopping bags filled with decorations. As the two girls rifled through the bags, Lily said, "So, Camille, how are you liking your first Christmas so far?"

Camille smiled and said with a shrug, "It's just so...different. I've never been able to experience something like this before. Everyone together, having fun...being _happy_," she paused, suddenly feeling a little shy, "It's really nice."

Lily nodded, leaning over the table to give Camille a quick hug. When she pulled back, she said quietly, "I'm so glad you're with us now, Camille. You deserve to be happy. You're a good person." She suddenly smiled slyly and added, "And you and Jarrod are such a cute couple!"

Camille giggled, ducking her head. "Thanks." She reached into one of the plastic shopping bags, searching for another decoration to hang, and pulled out a small, leafy sprig of mistletoe. "Ohh," she breathed softly, examining it closely, "This is _so_ pretty!"

"Oh, that's mistletoe." Seeing Camille's curious look, Lily went on, "One of our most _important_ Christmas traditions." She took it from Camille's hands, climbed onto a chair and hung it from the ceiling.

Camille watched her hang it, furrowing her brow. "Tradition?" She repeated.

Before Lily had the chance to answer, Jarrod came through the front door. "It's cold out there!" He announced, setting his array of shopping bags on the ground.

Camille raised her hand and waved to her boyfriend. Casey appeared out of the back room, flanked by RJ, Theo, and Flit. "Sweet," Casey whistled when he saw the many boxes of lights Jarrod had managed to find. He rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Let's bust these bad boys open!"

The boys then spent the next several minutes pulling strands out of boxes and muttering as they struggled to untangle them. Flit leapt this way and that, offering to hang the lights on the ceiling. RJ wisely decided to appoint the task to Jarrod, not only because he was the tallest of the group, but because he was far less..._excitable_ than Flit tended to be and would most likely not break anything.

When Jarrod and Casey came over to the girls to help twist the white lights with the garland, the lion and tiger both grumbled as several strands stubbornly insisted on lighting only halfway.

Lily giggled, muttering to Camille, "They sound like my dad. He _hates_ putting up Christmas lights!"

Camille covered her mouth to hide her laughter, then smiled and raised her eyebrows innocently when Jarrod shot her a mock irritated look. "Oh, sure," He grumbled as he tried to twist the lights around the swags, "Laugh at our plight while you just stand and watch."

"Hey," Camille said airily, tossing her black hair, "Lily and I decorated the entire tree and hung all of that garland by ourselves. It's not our fault you two are incompetent."

Casey cocked an eyebrow. "Incompetent, eh?"

Lily nodded, hiding a smile. "That's right."

"Well, Jarrod," Casey said evenly with feigned superiority, "These girls are lucky that we're done with hanging these, or else we would have left them stranded without our height." He smirked. "'Cuz you know what shorties these two are."

The jangling of bells signaled the entrance of several guests. Lily turned and saw the crowd entering the pizza parlor, then waggled a finger at Casey. "Good thing the party's started, mister, or else you'd face the wrath of the cheetah."

Soon everyone was bustling around, greeting friends and serving refreshments. Master Phant, Master Swoop, and Master Finn were there, and RJ had put a holiday CD in the stereo.

After several minutes, Jarrod pulled himself away from the throng of partygoers and found Camille arranging napkins on one of the tables. He smiled. Now was as good a time as any. "Camille," he said, taking her by the hands and guiding her into a corner of the parlor, "Come here, I want to show you something."

Camille cocked her head at him once they were in the corner. "What is it, Jarrod?"

Jarrod smiled, suddenly feeling a little nervous. "Well, since this is your first Christmas, I wanted to make sure it was special. Something you'd remember. So, I bought you a present." Camille's eyes widened as he produced a small box wrapped in bright green paper. "Merry Christmas. Go ahead, open it!" He encouraged.

Camille carefully unwrapped the dainty package. She gasped softly when the tissue paper unfolded to reveal a green and gold compact mirror. The surface was green and embellished with fine gold lines criss-crossing the top into a gorgeous pattern. "Oh, Jarrod," she breathed, her eyes shining as she looked up at him, "It's so beautiful!"

Jarrod grinned. "I know green is your favorite color."

Camille nodded in astonishment, then pulled her boyfriend into a tight hug. "Thank you. I love it!"

Jarrod hugged her back, relieved. "I'm glad. I hoped you would like it."

When Camille pulled away, she smiled secretively. "What?" Jarrod asked suspiciously.

"I've got a present for you, too!" Camille burst out with a grin. "Wait right here, I left it in the back room."

As she ran off, Jarrod felt a little surprised. He hadn't been expecting a present. Camille was pretty new to Christmas traditions, so he didn't think she would know about buying gifts. But he wasn't complaining.

When Camille returned, she thrust at him a wrapped package. "Merry Christmas. Lily helped me pick it out. And wrap it, too."

When Jarrod unwrapped his present, he smiled. For inside was a pair of black gloves with small amber lions embroidered on the center of the backs.

"For your Pai Zhua training," Camille told him, as if afraid he wouldn't know what they were. "I figured you could use a nice pair."

Jarrod fingered the material before looking into her bright blue eyes. "Wow, Camille, these are really great. I-I can't remember the last time someone gave me a Christmas present. This-this means a lot. I--"

Camille shook her head, silently telling him he didn't have to say anymore. She understood how hard his childhood was, and knew it wasn't always easy for him to open up about it. "It's all right, Jarrod."

Suddenly, a gleam caught Jarrod's eye. Looking up, he smiled slightly. "Uh-oh," He muttered, casting a glance at Camille and pointing to the mistletoe hanging above their heads, "Look where we're standing."

Camille tipped her head back. "Oh, it's that stuff. What did Lily call it again?"

"Mistletoe." Jarrod supplied.

Camille cocked an eyebrow. "So, what's so special about it?"

Jarrod grinned. "You mean you don't know? Well....we have this tradition where when a couple stands under the mistletoe, they're supposed to kiss."

Camille's eyes widened and her face flushed, a slow smiled spreading on her lips. "Oh, really...?"

"Mm-hm," Jarrod set down his gloves on a nearby table and snaked his arms around Camille's waist, pulling her towards him. As he leaned close and their lips met, Camille gripped the front of his jacket and pulled him into a lingering kiss.

When the two finally broke apart, Camille whispered softly, "I think I like this tradition."

Jarrod chuckled, his arms still around his girlfriend. "Do you, now?" His eyes softened as he gazed at his beautiful Camille. "Merry Christmas, Camille."

Camille smiled as she looked into Jarrod's deep eyes. "Merry Christmas, Jarrod."

As the couple kissed again, they both knew in their hearts that this would be a Christmas neither one of them would ever forget.

**The End**


End file.
